Day: June 15, 2023

A proposal seeking to create an inter-agency body that will be tasked to help the government address the imminent water crisis has hurdled committee level at the House of Representatives. The House Committee on Public Works and Highways, chaired by Surigao del Sur Representative Romeo Momo Sr., has approved House Bill 6345, creating an inter-agency body that will propose, formulate, draft and direct the implementation of a comprehensive master plan to address the looming water crisis. Under the measure, the inter-agency body shall be vested with the power to call on any government body and private sector agencies, which can contribute to solving the crisis. Bulacan Representative Lorna Silverio, author of the bill, said the country has experienced various water shortages that impacted households, communities and the nation over the past two decades. ‘Given the vital importance of water to the everyday lives, leaders of the nation should be alarmed and should act today to avert a devastating water shortage,’ Silverio said in a news release on Thursday. ‘Even with the La Niña season, when there is supposed to be an abundance of water supply, the nation, particularly the National Capital Region (NCR), experiences water shortages that adversely impact on communities and business operations,” she added. Silverio stressed the need for a proactive planning and action and mobilizing public and private agencies to pool needed knowledge and information to solve the water problem. “The need for proactive planning and action is made more urgent as the looming water crisis comes at a time when the world and the country continue to battle the ravages and challenges of the Covid pandemic,” she said. ‘While water rationing is a stop-gap solution, a long-term solution that will assure a sustainable supply of clean, potable water must be put in place urgently,” she added. Last week, Malacañang has directed all national government agencies and instrumentalities to ensure the strict implementation of water conservation measures to thwart the possible shortage of supply amid the looming El Niño phenomenon. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, by authority of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., signed on June 7 Memorandum Circular (MC) 22, mandating all government offices to identify and implement ‘specific, quantifiable, and attainable’ water conservation measures that will result in 10 percent water volume reduction of their respective first quarter water consumption. Under MC 22, the Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) and its network of agencies with water-related functions will take the lead in implementing a nationwide water conservation program, in coordination with other relevant government agencies. The WRMO, created under Executive Order 22 inked by Marcos on April 27, is the apex government body in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) tasked to harmonize government efforts and oversee the implementation of the Water Resources Management Plan to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water resources in the country

Source: Philippines News Agency

The municipality of Hamtic has reported PHP8 million in damage following the death of 906 hogs suspected to be cases of African swine fever (ASF). Hamtic Municipal Agriculture Officer (MAO) Isidro Ramos said in an interview Thursday that 18 out of the 47 villages of Hamtic have reported hog mortalities. ‘The 18 barangays have already reported 906 hog mortalities since May 28 until Thursday,’ he said. He added that the latest two deaths reported on Thursday were from a farm in Barangay Malandog. They are currently waiting for the Antique Provincial Veterinary Office to submit specimens to the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry for confirmation whether or not their swine have been infected by the ASF, the municipal agriculturist said. Without confirmation, the local government unit temporarily provides farm owners antibiotics to treat their ailing hogs and disinfectants for foot baths as part of the ASF biosecurity measures. Meanwhile, Ramos said 24/7 border controls are established in Barangays Inabasan and Malandog that are bordering the towns of Sibalom and San Jose, and Barangay Banawon, which is adjacent to the municipality of Tobias Fornier. ‘Our personnel are augmented by municipal employees assigned in other offices,’ he said, adding that they also have police personnel assisting them in the checkpoints. The border control supports Executive Order No. 32 signed by Mayor Julius Ronald Pacificador on June 2 prohibiting the transfer/transportation and banning the slaughtering and sale of swine and pork outside of Hamtic until June 19. MAO has already confiscated three newly slaughtered hogs for violating the order, he added. ‘We also immediately buried the slaughtered hogs that we had confiscated so it could no longer be transported or sold to consumers,’ Ramos said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Batangas said it is assessing various local government units’ (LGUs) readiness and ability to respond to the effects of the earthquake that struck the province at 10:19 a.m. on Thursday. In a phone interview soon after the earthquake, Amor Banuelos-Calayan, head of the PDRRMO, said her office wants to know if the LGUs could immediately come to the aid of those most affected. ‘(The quake) with tectonic origin was felt here in Calatagan and different intensity levels in every town in Batangas. We are visiting each LGU and are currently on our way to Calatagan to personally see the situation there,’ she said. Meanwhile, the local governments of San Jose and Cuenca immediately suspended classes and advised the public to expect possible aftershocks. Michael Abanador, assistant head for operation and warning division of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (LDRRM) office in Cuenca, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that there were no reported casualties in the town as of press time but the search for possible victims continues. ‘We immediately canceled the class. We are currently inspecting the buildings throughout the town, especially the schools,’ Abanador said. The PDRRMO noted that when the ground started shaking, various schools across Calabarzon executed evacuation procedures learned during earthquake drills, including the Philippine State College of Aeronautics Fernando Air Base Campus in Lipa City, the Laiya Integrated National High School in San Juan, and Lyceum of the Philippines University in Batangas City

Source: Philippines News Agency

The National Irrigation Administration in Northern Mindanao (NIA-10) has adopted “green technology” in four areas of the region to help sustain farmers’ productivity. In an interview Thursday, NIA-10 Manager Elpidio Lucernas Jr. said solar pumps have been installed this year in the towns of Balingasag and Alubijid, both in Misamis Oriental; Lala town in Lanao del Norte; and Barangay Pagalungan in this city. “This is a big boost for rice farmers in the four areas as they can save electricity bills at least half of their previous billing statement from their respective electric provider,’ he said. Lucernas manages the Irrigation Management Office of the four provinces in Region 10, except Bukidnon. He said the towns of Balingasag and Maranding in Lanao del Norte and Tangub City in Misamis Occidental, will have an additional PHP20 million worth of irrigation projects set for implementation before the end of this year. Meanwhile, Lucernas said NIA-10 also looks forward to further improving its service area in Misamis Oriental, which currently has 18.3 percent irrigated areas. This figure, he said, was not enough to attain rice sufficiency to provide cheaper rice prices. According to Lucernas, the rate barely translates to irrigating 2,114 hectares of farmland out of the 5,000-hectare service area and only yielding 3,910 kilograms per hectare. “The land area is not enough to have rice sufficiency in Misamis Oriental because we have not yet attained our service area target since we still are in the process of irrigation development,” he explained. NIA-10 is expediting its project implementation, which is now at 90 percent for cycle 2022.

Source: Philippines News Agency

After the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that jolted Batangas on Thursday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) is urging the public to prepare for aftershocks that could reach up to magnitude 5.3. “We remind them that we should prepare for aftershocks. In case of another strongly-felt earthquake, protect themselves by doing the duck, cover, and hold,” Phivolcs officer in charge Teresito Bacolcol said in a public briefing. The magnitude 6.3 quake, which was 119 km. deep, struck 15 km. southwest of Calatagan, Batangas at 10:19 a.m. Bacolcol said usually, aftershocks would be one degree lower than the main shock, thus, they are expecting aftershocks to be magnitude 5.3 at the most. The main shock was felt at Intensity V in Calatagan, Batangas, in Lubang, Look Paluan, and in Occidental Mindoro. Bacolcol explained that nearby provinces and Metro Manila felt the earthquake due to its depth. “The deeper the earthquake, the wider the area where this would be felt,” he said. Intensity IV was felt in Manila City; Mandaluyong City; Quezon City; Valenzuela City; City of Malolos in Bulacan; Batangas City, Ibaan, Lemery, Nasugbu, and Talisay, all in Batangas; City of Dasmariñas and City of Tagaytay, in Cavite; and Tanay in Rizal. Bacolcol said damage to infrastructure is also possible but they are not expecting it to be severe as the earthquake was deep. He, however, cautioned the public not to enter their house or building if they see signs of damage or if the structure was visibly weakened by the magnitude 6.3 quake. “It could further be damaged by succeeding earthquakes and would injure building occupants,” he said. Bacolcol also advised the public to consult with engineers if they see signs of damage. Meanwhile, he said there is no tsunami threat due to the earthquake’s dept

Source: Philippines News Agency